The trail starts at the Manor House and visits 40 trees in the riverside and swimming pool areas. The trail is just over a mile long and takes 75 - 90 minutes.
A map marking the location of each tree is on the back page of this booklet
This leaflet and map can also be viewed and downloaded from ilkleytrees.org.uk/treetrailsWe suggest that if you plan to follow the trail on your phone you print a copy of the map to carry with you.
1. Ash Fraxinus excelsior A big ash, over 100 years old. Native. Its 3 entwined trunks suggest it has been damaged or pollarded in the past. Its leaves have long thin leaflets (9-13 per leaf) that can be confused with those of Elder (36) or Rowan (22). Ash has black leaf buds, easily seen on this tree, and winged fruit that hang like bunches of keys, not always visible on this specimen, but plentiful on the walk. There are many Ash trees in Yorkshire, and Ash die-back, a fungal disease, is devastating them. This tree has early signs of the disease – a few of the ends of the higher branches are bare. Tree 34, towards the end of the walk has advanced Ash dieback.
Ash leaves and black buds Ash keys (near tree 29) Tree 34. Ash die-back
Leave the Manor House by the front entrance, turn left and go round the side of the building. In front of you is tree 1
2. Yew Taxus baccata One of only three native conifers in UK. The others are Juniper and Scots pine. The leaves are dark green needles in two flattened rows, one either side of the stem. It does not have cones like other conifers but has a red fruit that looks a bit like a berry called an aril, which contains a single seed. All parts of the yew are toxic except the fleshy aril, which birds enjoy and the seed passes through their gut intact. Yews can live to a great age, with many in the UK over 2000 years old. Like this one, Yew is often associated with churches.
3. Pair of Common lime Tilia x europaeaNative. The leaves are heart shaped and lopsided at the base. Common limes have a forest of shoots around the base and tufts of white hairs on the underside of the leaves just around the base of the veins. Later in the walk is Large-leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos (7). In both the highly scented flowers followed by round fruits hang down in clusters, best seen in 7. The flowers produce nectar and pollen for insects, and aphids are especially attracted to limes, producing honeydew that may drip from the tree and is consumed by bees. Later on still is Silver pendant lime Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’ (31).
Yew leaves
Turn sharp right towards the church and step up on to the grass. Trees 2 and 3 are by the wall on your right.
Lime- heart-shaped leaf, Tree 7 - Clusters of fruits Common lime (3) – shoots at base lopsided base
Turn round. The first tree on the path to your left is 4. At the far end of this row of trees is 5
4. Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
Not a native tree but introduced into the UK in late 16thC from Turkey. Each leaf has 5-7 large leaflets. Blossom in spring is on large upright ‘candles’ – the flowers are yellow at first, changing to pink/red after pollination by insects – insects can see yellow but not red so only visit the unpollinated flowers. The fruits, ‘conkers’ are in green prickly cases.
Horse-chestnut leaves Developing fruit case
5. Downy birch Betula pubescensThis is the native birch of the North. In contrast to the Silver birch, Betula pendula of the South the young twigs are hairy and the leaves are more rounded, dull green and feel rough. On the return leg of the walk you will see Paperbark birch, Betula papyrifera (38)
Downy birch leaves and catkin Downy birch (Top) Silver birch (Bottom)
6. Variegated sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus f. variegatum It belongs to the maple family and is a cultivar of Sycamore. it is planted for its variegated leaves with cream splashes. Further on are Field maple Acer campestre (13) and Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus (24).
Variegated sycamore Sycamore Field maple
Cross the neck of the turning circle to tree 6
Go straight ahead, down the steps to New Brook Street and turn left. (For wheelchair access turn right and left). Head towards the bridge. Trees 7 and 8 are on the left, just before the steps down into the park
7. Large-leaved lime Tilia PlatyphyllosIn contrast to common lime (3) this has no shoots at the base and the undersurface of the leaf is hairy
Cotoneaster
8. Cotoneaster hybrid Cotoneaster x watereri Non-native. Cotoneaster often has multiple leaning stems like this one. The white flowers give way to dark red berries which can last until spring and are enjoyed by birds, which spread the seeds widely. It is popular in gardens as a shrub or hedge but where it has escaped into the wild it can be an invasive weed as it blankets out and shades other species.
Cross the river. On the right before the ramp into East Holmes field is 9
9. Holly Ilex aquifoliumNative and very common. On the lower part of the tree the evergreen leaves, glossy on the upper surface, matt beneath, have prickly spines to deter browsing animals, but higher up the spines are absent. Holly has separate male and female plants – the red berries are only present on the female tree, which needs a male tree growing not too far away to pollinate it. The berries are eaten by birds but are poisonous to humans.
Holly - lower leaves Leaves higher up the tree, and developing berries
10. Grey alder Alnus incanaIntroduced from Europe. It has brown ‘cones’ which stay on the tree all year and can be seen on this tree. They are similar to those on our native Common alder Alnus glutinosa, but the leaves are different.
Grey alder cones and leaf Common alder leaf
Enter East Holmes Field by the ramp on the right side of the road. At the bottom look right to tree 10
Walk along the path, passing between three small trees. The next group of trees nine metres to the right of the path is 11
11. Wych elm Ulmus glabraIt has the largest leaves of any native tree. The leaves are almost stalkless, are asymmetric at the base with the longer side overlapping the stalk, and taper to a sudden point. The leaf upper surface feels rough, like sandpaper. It is hardier than English elm and more common in the North, but has been badly affected by Dutch elm disease. This is caused by a fungus, transported from tree to tree by a bark-boring beetle which disrupts the water transport system in the tree, inevitably causing its death though this may take up to two years. Wych elm leaf showing asymmetric base
Return to and cross the path to 12
12. Oak QuercusNative. This specimen is a hybrid between Sessile Quercus petraea and English oak Quercus robur. It has long stalks to the leaves and almost no stalk to the acorns, typical of sessile oak, but the leaf base has ‘ears’, typical of English oak. Sessile oak is more common in the North, English in the South, but both occur everywhere, and hybrids are common. Acorns are not produced until the tree is 40 years old and peak production is not reached until 80-120 years. Oak trees support more wildlife than any other native tree. Later on in the walk is Red oak Quercus rubra (21) Oak
Along the edge of the skatepark is 13, a row of three trees, and at the corner is 14
13. Field maple Acer campestre Native. The leaves have 5 lobes and can be confused with Sycamore (24) but are smaller, dark green and shiny, and have just a few, rounded teeth as opposed to the Sycamore’s many coarse jagged teeth. Both produce winged fruits called samaras, but the wings of Field maple are almost in a straight line, whereas those of Sycamore are angled.
Field maple Sycamore Field maple - winged fruits
14. Willow SalixThere are many types of willow and many hybrids. They are fast growing trees, prefer wet ground and are often found by water. This tree is a White willow Salix alba. It looks paler than other willows as both sides of the long thin leaves, particularly the under-surface, are covered in long silky white hairs, lying flat against the leaf though these are difficult to see without a hand lens. Later on are Crack willow Salix fragilis (19) and Goat willow Salix caprea (37). Willows, particularly goat willow, are often planted to prevent riverbank erosion.
White willow Crack willow Goat willow
Go back towards the path to 15- a group of three trees around a concrete post and plaque
15. Wild Cherry Prunus avium Native. Planted for its spring blossom. Cherry is easy to recognise by its distinctive bark with horizontal bands. The leaves are large and have coarse teeth.
Cherry bark Cherry leaves Head towards the hedge surrounding the rugby field for 16
16. Copper beech Fagus sylvatica purpurea This is a cultivated form of Common beech. The leaves are purple in spring, becoming more coppery in the autumn. Further on in the walk is Common beech Fagus sylvatica (26) grown as a hedge, and towards the end of the walk are Common beech trees (39).
Copper beech Common beech
Go back towards the river, crossing through the edge of the newly planted trees, 17, to a huge tree by the river, 18
17. Community orchard20 fruit trees planted by Climate Action Ilkley in March 2020. Mix of pear, apple, damson.
18. Black Poplar Populus nigraNative, now rare. There are three others further along the riverbank. These are huge trees, over 100 years old. The leaves are triangular with long tips and some have spiral galls on the stalks. These particular galls are only found on black poplars and are produced by an aphid. The bark is very gnarled.
Black poplar leaf and spiral gall Gnarled bark
Continue on the path and at the next Poplar go closer to the river for 19
19. Crack willow Salix fragilisDown by the water’s edge, its branches sweeping the pebble beach, it has similar shaped but more shiny, bright green leaves than the White willow (14). It’s called Crack willow because the twigs break off with a snap.
Go around the corner of the hedge to 20
20. Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, planted as a hedge.Native. It is commonly used in hedging as it is dense and thorny but is also planted as a stand-alone tree – see 27 further on. The leaves have deeply cut lobes, each with a tooth at the tip. Also known as ‘May’ because of its abundant scented white or pale pink flowers in that month. The fruits, which turn dark red, are known as haws. Hawthorn hedge - deeply
lobed leavesDeveloping haws
Walk up the side of the hedge to three trees growing in the hedge, 21, 22, and 23
21. Red oak Quercus rubraSo called because its leaves turn red in autumn. A native of North America. Its leaves are much bigger than those of our native tree
Hybrid oak - top
Red oak - bottom
22. Rowan Sorbus aucuparia Native. Commonly found in the wild in the North and West, but often planted too. It used to be planted by houses to protect against witches. Also known as ‘Mountain ash’ as it grows well at altitude but is not related to the Ash tree. The leaves consist of 4-8 pairs of leaflets with another leaflet at the end and are more noticeably toothed than those of Ash (1) with which it can be confused. Its red autumn berries are a rich source of food for birds.
Rowan - leaves and berries
23. Mitchell’s Tibetan Whitebeam Sorbus thibetica ‘John Mitchell’Non-native. This is a popular clone of a very rare Chinese whitebeam. It has huge, broad leaves, conspicuously white-felted beneath and dark green above, and large fruits. Common whitebeam Sorbus aria (40) is the last tree on the walk.
Mitchell’s Whitebeam Common Whitebeam
Continue along the hedge, past two birches to 24, a row of ten trees
24. Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanusNon-native. Introduced to the UK possibly by the Romans and now very widespread. The leaves have 5 lobes with many coarse jagged teeth. The yellow-green flowers hang down in spikes and once pollinated develop into hanging winged fruits called samaras, also known as ‘helicopters’. It can be confused with our native Field maple (13) but this has only a few rounded teeth on its leaves, and Norway maple which has only a few long- pointed teeth on its leaves. Sycamore leaf Sycamore winged fruits - samaras
Take care, road crossing ahead. Go through the gap in the hedge ahead and cross the road, heading towards the swimming pool. On your right, in the middle of a grassy square is 25
25. Broad-leaved cockspur thorn Crataegus persimilis ‘’Prunifolia’Non-native, from North America. The oval leaves are very glossy and turn brilliant orange-red in autumn. The branches have many long sharp thorns.
Broard-leaved cockspur thorn
Continue up the path towards the swimming pool building. The hedge on your right is 26
26. Common beech hedge Fagus sylvaticaIt will retain its dead leaves in winter. Beech is native to the South of England but is widely planted in the North. The leaves can be confused with Hornbeam (30), but the edge of a beech leaf is wavy rather than toothed.
Beech hedge Beech leaf, wavey edge
Beyond the far left corner of the car park is 27
27. Hawthorn treeCrataegus monogynaSee 20
In the hedge to the left is 28, a group of conifers
28. Western red cedar Thuja plicataNon-native, from North America. The foliage is in rather glossy, fairly flat, drooping 2-D sprays. The leaves are tiny pointed scales that enclose the stems. The underside of a spray is duller with fine white markings. It has small flask shaped cones which stand up on the branches, and open out like petals, visible on this tree. The crushed leaves smell very sweet, like pineapple. W. red cedar - flat sprays W. red cedar - open cones
Follow the hedge back down to the tennis courts, passing a magnificent Weeping willow in a private garden, and turn right. 29, a group of trees, is on the right just before halfway along the courts. (Note the Ash keys in the tree to the right of the first one)
29. Aspen Populus tremula Native. The leaves are round with big wavy teeth and the leaf stalk is flattened at right angles to the plane of the leaf- you can’t easily roll it in your fingers – this allows the leaf to quiver in the wind, so the tree rustles even in the lightest breeze. Aspens produce many suckers and a clonal colony (ie one tree with a massive root system and many suckers) in North America is said to be the biggest living organism in the world – estimated to weigh 6 million kg.
Aspen leaves
Take care, road ahead. Continue to Middleton Ave and turn left. The first tree in the pavement is 30
30. Hornbeam Carpinus betulusNative to the South of England but widely planted elsewhere. It is a good street tree as the branches point up. The leaves are similar in shape to beech but are more deeply furrowed and have a toothed edge. The leaves mostly stay on the tree through the winter.
Hawthorn Haws
Hornbeam Hornbeam - toothed edge Beech - wavy edge
Cross over. Just before the lamp-post is 31
31. Silver pendant lime Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’A non-native tree with weeping branches that has bigger leaves than our native lime, pale underneath, and long stemmed. It is a good street tree as it is very tolerant of urban pollution and soil compaction.
Whitish undersurface of leaves Long stems to leaves
Continue along the road and cross back to the left side at the junction with Gilstead Way for 32, another conifer
32. Leylandii x Cuprocyparis leylandiiIt is a hybrid of 2 non-native trees- the Monterey and Nootka cypresses and first appeared in the late 19th C. Commonly planted as a very fast growing hedge and often disliked as such but an individual can grow into a handsome tree which has reddish-grey ridged bark, scale-like leaves in flat sprays on long stalks and brown (initially green) ball-shaped cones 1-2cm across. Each face of the ball has a spine in the centre. There are some visible on this tree. If you crush the foliage hard it smells resinous.
Leylandii sprayLeylandii cones
Further down the road, growing in the hedge on the right hand side and opposite the entrance to the cricket club is 33, also a conifer
33. Lawson cypress Chamaecyparis lawsonianaNative to California. Easy to confuse with Leylandii, but it has tiny pea-sized cones, smaller than Leylandii and the crushed foliage smells of parsley.
Lawson cypressLeylandii cone (L) Lawson cone (R)
Look across the road in front of the cricket pavilion to see 34
34. Ash Fraxinus excelsiorThis tree has advanced ash die-back - the ends of many branches are bare and the foliage is bunched around the trunk -the tree is trying to survive by putting out more leaves directly from the trunk.
Continue down the road. On the right, in a private garden but hanging over the street, just before the junction with Denton Road is 35, a very tall conifer
35. Black pine Pinus nigraNon-native. You should be able to find some old needles on the ground - these needles are in pairs and are approx. 13cm long. Our native Scots pine Pinus sylvestris also has needles in pairs but they are not nearly so long (only 2-8cm), nor does the tree grow so tall. Black pine is grown as a timber tree and in shelterbelts.
Black pine needles Black pine
Carry straight on towards the bridge. Just before the bridge, on the right, leaning over railings is 36
36. Elder Sambucus nigraA common native tree. The leaves usually have 5 leaflets (can be 7). It has white, strongly scented flowers in spring followed by edible berries that ripen purple-black in autumn. The berries must be cooked before eating as raw they are poisonous – they contain cyanide-forming glycosides which are destroyed by cooking. The trunk of this and many other trees in the park are covered in ivy – this does not harm the tree and is good for wildlife.
Elder with developing berries
Go over the bridge and take the footpath after the steps. On your right, down the grassy slope is 37
37. Goat willow Salix capreaIt has quite different leaves- shorter and fatter- than the 2 previous willows and the tip of the leaf is twisted.
Goat willow Crack willow
To the left of the path is 38
38. Paperbark birch Betula papyriferaThis specimen has multiple trunks. The leaves are too big for a native birch (5). It is planted for its attractive bark.
Bark of Paperbark birch Downy (L) and Paperbark (R) birch leaves
At the end of the path, just to the right and beyond the steps is 39
39. Common beech Fagus sylvaticaA row of trees planted very close together. These were probably planted as a hedge but have been
Beech leaves
Continue across the grass, parallel to the river, cross the path and head towards the wall on the left. Just below where the wall becomes topped by railings is a single tree, 40
40. Common whitebeam Sorbus ariaIt is native to the South of England but widely planted everywhere. It has much smaller leaves than the Tibetan whitebeam (23) but they are similarly white underneath.
Whitebeam White under-surface of leaves
This booklet has been produced by Sue & Neil Stevens in August 2020. We hope you have enjoyed getting to know trees. Your comments are welcome via [email protected] would like to thank Wharfedale Naturalists for their help and acknowledge the support received from the organisations below.
Bradford is one of the few cities in the UK to be recognised by the UN for its commitment to trees and is listed as a Tree City of the World. We appreciate the advice and support we have received from the Bradford Council Trees Team.
The Ilkley Tree Trails is an initiative originally proposed by Climate Action Ilkley’s Land and Nature Group. By fostering interest in trees we hope people will come to appreciate them and their role in the environment. The Orchard, included in this trail, is the result of an earlier Land and Nature project. Climate Action Ilkley have contributed to the cost of this booklet. Charity Number: 1189801
To return to the Manor House retrace your steps to 39 and then walk uphill past the remains of the Roman fort.
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